Low voltage mains cables : Working towards a common optimised design for both ERDF and EDF Energy

For more than 30 years the French Distribution Network Operator ERDF has used low voltage mains cables complying with the French national standard NF C33 210. Over the years the design has been progressively improved to a point where further optimisation would be difficult. Today, the increasing pressure of continually rising raw materials costs has lead to a new drive for further optimisation. Additionally other environmental, legal and ecological constraints need to be considered regarding the continued use of heavy metals, such as lead, in the cable construction.